Sweetnighter got me thinking in his GOD (isn't that a neat abreviation for Gates) vs CTTE poll about Yes's line up. I don't think Yes have ever retained the same line up for more than 2 albums at a time (correct me if I'm wrong) but at leastthey have always had either of 2 drummers. These two wonderfully talented individuals are Bill Bruford and Alan White (like I need to tell anyone on the progarchives that!).

I like both however I much prefer Alan White because I always thought he had more of a "musical" approach to his playing. I supprised to learn that he is a piano player when I was watching my "YesYears" dvd because suddenly his "musicality" started to make sense. Bruford is an incredible Jazz drummer(except for "Anderson Bruford Wakeman Howe" or "Union", he's playing ASIA beats!!!) but I think he is missing something that White has.

Bill Bruford is brilliant. You have to look beyond what he's done in YES and remember, that was early in his career. He grew and developed from that point forward. Allan White is great, but he's never gone beyond Relayer in the growth factor. It was his shining moment. A great moment it was.

Bill Bruford is brilliant. You have to look beyond
what he's done in YES and remember, that was early in his career. He
grew and developed from that point forward. Allan White is great, but
he's never gone beyond Relayer in the growth factor. It was his shining
moment. A great moment it was.

no way, tormato was awesome. The taste in his drumming on that album is
excellent. Alan White is way more stale, but I really enjoy him on
bootlegs from the 1977 to 1979 era. Very odd, interesting drumming
going on at that point. Relayer was obviously good for Alan, but we
seem to dismiss pieces like Remembering which I find to be way more
structured and discrete than CTTE or Delirium. The passages and synth
runs are very obscure on that album, and for alans first, I find his
drumming on Topographic to be his best. By the way alan white is not a
very good piano player.

Bill bruford on the other hand is very technical and very awesome, but
his musical sense seems to drift in the 70s. I think alan moved way up
with Yes, and bill bruford just poked around and joined bands at random
periods (genesis, national health). His 1978 solo effort was okay
but not arranged like how an Yes piece would go and not quite as
interesting as id want it to be. Funny but dave stewart did some
writing on that album

I have a 1979 Yes t-shirt that bill signed for me at a drum clinic..
ME: bill i know you werent in the band in 1979 but will you sign my T-shirt?
BILL: (suprised look on his face) Oh, well sure. just promise not to listen to tormato

Ok.. I voted for Bruford also... but now I've been thinking about it. As stated, Bill is a more technical, probably more versatile drummer. However, I guess because I knew Alan quite well for awhile.. and I've watched him practice (which tells so much about a musician), I can say he seems to be more passionate in his playing and he's definitely more alive and animate when playing on stage... I've seen Bill live a few times.. and he's just not as moving...

I'm an Alan White fan.My favourite bit of drumming by anyone,anywhere any time is on Rick Wakemans 'Ann Of Cleeves'.The guy is awesome.Bruford is clever admittedly but his style of playing doesn't really excite me that much.

I shocked myself by voting for Alan White but I really love them both. I think my vote was swayed by two things; Alan White is a rockier drummer and almost everyone else love's Bruford. There you have it.

All the best,
Per

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I shocked myself by voting for Alan White but I really love them both. I think my vote was swayed by two things; Alan White is a rockier drummer and almost everyone else love's Bruford. There you have it.

Yeah, that's a tough choice but after much thought I went for Bruford.

Sorry Alan

I must remind the right honourable gentleman that a monologue is not a decision.
- Clement Atlee, on Winston Churchill

I voted for Alan White. I think BB is a more technical percussionist, but Alan White has a more natural and relaxed feel to his playing. Brufords drumming, for me often stands out from the rest of the music as a seperate entity, rather than an itegral part of the overal sound.

In short, Mr Whites style is more appreciated by my ears, regardless of what you may be able to prove on manuscript paper about who is best..

The actual argument seems not to be "who is the better drummer?" but which drummer would play in the "hall-of -fame" Yes line-up. By dint of having played on Yes's best two albums,the logical answer would be Bill Bruford.

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